Identification of autophagy genes in Ciona intestinalis: a new experimental model to study autophagy mechanism.

Programmed cell death (PCD) is a mechanism implicated in many physiological and pathological processes. Until recently, apoptosis (self-killing) was the most largely studied mechanism of PCD but a growing number of laboratories are now interested in autophagy (self-eating). In the past few years data showing a tight link between both pathways has accumulated.